Calendar  |  Logan County Tourism Bureau


New Motorcycle Show at The Mill on 66 Sept. 17th
10th Annual Antique Auto Cruise-In Oct. 8th
 

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[August 13, 2016]  LINCOLN - The Salt Creek ABATE Motorcycle Club, Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County and the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway will be hosting a new Motorcycle Show event on Saturday from 11am to 3pm at The Mill on 66.

The cruise-in is being held as part of and in conjunction with the Abraham Lincoln Railsplitting Festival (www.railsplitting.com) and the 90th Anniversary of Route 66 (1926-2016). All statewide ABATE club members are invited as well as all motorcyclists. There will be People’s Choice awards, live music and hot pizza for the event. A suggested donation for motorcyclists and attendees will go towards the Mill.

The Salt Creek ABATE Motorcycle Club is a non- profit group that covers Logan County, and is known for their volunteer efforts and service to the community. The Mission of A.B.A.T.E. (A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education) of Illinois is to preserve the universal right to a safe, unrestricted, motorcycling environment. A.B.A.T.E. works to safeguard motorcycling rights, while allowing for individuals with different views. All riders are welcome. It doesn't matter if you ride a Goldwing, Harley, Cruisers, touring bikes, sport bikes or dirt bikes. More information is available at www.abate-il.org/saltcreek.

10th Annual Mill Cruise-In

This year’s 10th Annual Mill Cruise-In, hosted by the Lincoln Railsplitter Antique Auto Club, will be Saturday, October 8th from 11am to 3pm at this historic original 1929 Route 66 attraction located at 738 S. Washington in Lincoln, Illinois, with registration proceeds ($5 per vehicle) to once again go to the Mill for restoration efforts. The Railsplitter Antique Auto Club has hosted the event all ten years and has raised over $2500 for the Mill from this annual event. Registration will be the day of the cruise-in as always.


Lincoln Railsplitter Antique Auto club is a non- profit group of automobile enthusiasts located in Lincoln, Illinois. In addition to supporting The Mill, the club is known for their annual Cruise-In for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in July. More information is available at www.lincolnrailsplitterautoclub.webs.com.

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Mill Restoration continues

A long time ago on June 25, 1929, Paul Coddington opened “The Blue Mill” at the corner of Washington Street and Stringer Avenue (Route 66) in Lincoln, IL. The eatery had blue trim and continuously turning sailed decorated with lights, and the waitresses dressed in blue with white aprons. In 1945, The Mill was painted barn red and an army barracks was added onto the back to operate as a dance hall.

One of the restaurant’s claims to fame was its fried schnitzel which had been passed down throughout the generations of the Huffman. The Mill closed in 1996 and fell into disrepair until 2006 when the title was gained by the Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County and preservation efforts began. In 2009, The Mill was inducted into the Route 66 Association of Illinois’ Hall of Fame. To date, over $80,000 has been raised to save and renovate the building.

The Route 66 Heritage Foundation of Logan County would like to thank the City of Lincoln, all the organizations that supplied grants, all the donors, all the supporters and all the volunteers! Railsplitter Antique Auto Club volunteers and Salt Creek ABATE volunteers have also done a lot of critical work at the Mill. The Mill is in the final phase of renovation, with plans to open as a Route 66 museum in April of 2017. For more information, visit www.savethemill.org or contact 217-671-3790.

[Geoff Ladd, Save the Mill on Route 66]

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